Can I Keep You
by Drawberry
Summary: Hannibal and Clarice Fic. Rated for later chapters. Clarice is finding love for the poor man with all sadness in the world.


I got bored! So I wrote. About Clarice and Hannibal. Because I felt like it. COOKIES FOR YOU

Sadness and Scotch

When the whole world was asleep. Clarice was awake. The auto-tapes playing on the little machine beside the table. The voice of Hannibal Lecter filling the tiny home and in his voice she could hear all the sadness of the world. Every burden, every death and tragedy echoed in his voice. Somewhere within the woman she could feel a catalyst coming forth. From within her own mind the snakes where beginning to wake.

Midnight

The little glass of Scotch teetered on the arm of the big fluffy chair, which Hannibal nicely set on the side table. The womans breathing was low, shallow and soft while she slept curled up like a cat in her chair. Reaching forward the man lifted her chin up slightly to examine her face, from the Drumgo fiasco at the fish market her cheek was cut, he could easily take care of that.

Hannibal scooped the girl up in his arm's to bring her back home with him.

Italy 24 hours later

Looking around for a moment Clarice had the strange feeling one gets when waking up in a hotel. Total confusion before the memory comes back. But she had no memory of coming in to this lovely room. With the big velvet drapes over the four-poster bed. Or laying under the thick warm crimson blankets. He tongue appeared briefly as she sat up, licking away the taste of stale Scotch.

Hannibal looked down at the girl from the doorway. His breath hitched within his throat as he watched her wake, how could a creature be so lovely?

"Don't get up to fast" His voice smooth and thick hangs in the air

Sitting up fully she looked up at the man, he was not taller or larger then the average man. But one could always assume he had strength to match a bull, with wits to match.

"Good...morning Doctor"

"Afternoon" He corrected striding over to the her, extending his hand to help her stand.

Taking his hand was a strange thing, for his hand was far larger then her's, which fit nicely in his palm.

"Thank you"she whispered looking away from the dark eye's that looked within her.

Italy Summer

Clarice had never once suggested returning home. Why would she return? When the world was forcing her into oblivion? Clarice enjoyed her time here, listening to Hannibal play the piano she could begin to talk freely with him. He encouraged her openly to speak, to speak of her father, of Krendler, of Mapp. The world. Soon after she'd made up her mind not to leave, she'd had a stone set in a silver ring mailing it back home to Ardelia with a note.

"Ardelia, I'm fine and better than fine. Don't look for me. I love you. I'm sorry I scared you. Burn this"( Pg.544)

Over time she'd picked up some vague amount of Italian, mostly from Hannibal while he taught her to play the piano. On occasions like this he would talk about Mischa.

" Why do you have to pick?" Clarice spoke with care " Why can't their be room for Me, and room for Mischa?"

There was a long pause where Hannibal held his palms out, moving one hand up then the other like weighing scales.

"I...I suppose there is room" He seemed startled by the conclusion

"There is room for my father, and there is room for you." She looked over to him and moved her hands away from the key's "Can I keep you?"

For a moment Hannibal had forgotten whom he was talking to. She was not the little child from so many years ago, she'd grown strong with him.

"Only if I can keep you." His voice was close, hot against her neck as his arms slid around her waist pulling the girl against his chest.

Hannibal taught Clarice the ability to posses a Memory Palace. Often their memories would collide and he could find her walking the hall's of his own Palace. He never minded, it was nice to be there with her when their monster's would heave up from some unknown source of their past.

On days like this, where the rain would not cease and Hannibal still often pondered if Inspector Popil ever did learn to swim, Clarice would wander the great hall's of the ever growing memory palace and on this occasion she found herself at a door within Hannibal's Palace. The door marked with her name.

However she had no time to search it as he pulled her hand away shaking his head " Oh I believe your trespassing now "His voice smooth in her ear. For a moment she thought the feeling of him holding her was merely in her palace. But when she opened her eyes Hannibal had moved to her, slipping his arms around her where she lay.


End file.
